The Book: 2018 12 Days of Christmas Challenge
by ecv
Summary: My entry into the 12 days of Christmas Challenge
1. Prequel

_This is a reprint of an earlier story on Fanfiction. The new story continues after this, so I have included it as a refresher._

 _The unifying item for the upcoming stories is the book that Booth gives to Brennan as a gift. It will appear, or be mentioned, in all of the twelve chapters._

 _Thanks for reading. As usual, I don't own Bones._

"Are you all done Christmas shopping, Agent Booth?" Sweets asked. He and Booth were on the way to interview a suspect in their latest case. Outside the windows of the SUV, the day was dark and dreary. The local station had indicated that heavy rain was on the way for later in the evening.

"I am, but I'm not," Booth said shortly, trying to stall any further conversation. This was a topic he'd been struggling with for several days and the last person he wanted to discuss it with was the man in the passenger seat.

Sweets nodded. "I have that problem, too. Think I'm all done buying presents for everyone and then I go out and buy a few more."

"That's not my problem this year. It's more that I haven't bought a gift for someone." Booth shook his head at himself. Hadn't he just tried to shut his conversation down? Now he was providing just enough information to make Sweets ask him more questions.

"Who haven't you bought a gift for, Agent Booth?" Sweets figured it was Hannah. The woman seemed like someone who would be hard to buy for, considering her nomadic existence. Sure the woman owned almost nothing, but there wasn't much you could buy a person who didn't stay long in one place.

Sweets was pretty sure Booth was ignoring that part of Hannah's personality. He could convince himself otherwise, but in the end Hannah would walk away, the psychologist was sure of it.

"Bones," Booth mumbled. "I haven't bought a gift for Bones."

Not the answer Sweets was expecting. "Why not? She treasures everything you get her, no matter how small. Why would she be the last person you buy for?"

Why did that statement make Booth feel like he'd just been punched? Very uncomfortable, Booth looked out the window, away from Sweets, then back through the windshield. "I'm not sure what to get her," he said lamely.

Which wasn't the problem at all. Booth wanted to give her the world, always had. It just wasn't appropriate now that he had Hannah.

No matter what he still felt for Bones.

Sweets noted the signs that indicated Booth's level of discomfort. Feeling that he was partly to blame for most of it, a heavy sigh filled the quiet interior. "I feel like I should apologize for some of this, Agent Booth."

One eyebrow raised, Booth shot Sweet a surprised glance. "What are you apologizing for?"

"If I hadn't pushed you to make a move outside of the Hoover-"

"Stop," Booth interrupted. "This isn't your fault. Something needed to change between Bones and I. It's clear now that she doesn't feel the same way about me as I do about her."

Realizing Booth probably hadn't caught his use of the present tense, Sweets made no move to correct him. He'd already tried to force Booth and Dr. Brennan together once and it had failed, spectacularly. This time, if they managed to find each other, they would have to do it on their own.

Nodding, Sweets turned toward the window on his side. After a moment of watching the city move past, he turned back. "That still doesn't explain the present."

"It's not the same between us. We aren't as close anymore now that Hannah is here. I truly don't know what's appropriate between us anymore." And he missed that closeness. God, what sort of mess had he gotten himself into?

"Are you still friends?" Sweets asked.

"She's my best friend," Booth admitted quietly. "Maybe Hannah should be, but…" he shrugged his shoulders, unsure of how to explain the difference. Bones knew things about him Hannah would never know, no matter how long they were together.

"Then buy her a gift, Agent Booth. You'll crush her if you don't."

Booth nodded, accepting that Sweets was right. "I tried to give her the best of me. It seemed like a pretty good present at the time. She didn't want it."

Sweets, without thinking, said the first thing that came to mind. "Are you sure about that?"

A glare was the only answer Sweets received. They rode in silence before Booth flipped on his signal and pulled to the side of the road.

"Now," he said, turning sideways to look at Sweets, "just what the hell are you talking about?"

Nervously, Sweets adjusted his tie. "Are you going to kill me for this?"

Booth shrugged. Let the man think what he wanted. A little fear always moved the conversation along. "Why would you ask me that? Bones made it pretty clear she didn't want me in that way."

Knowing in the back of his mind Booth probably wouldn't shoot him, Sweets threw caution to the wind. "Understand that I know very little about what happened after you left my office that night, Agent Booth. I encouraged you to take a gamble, and that was a mistake. A rather large mistake, in my estimation."

Nodding, Booth did nothing to encourage or discourage him from continuing. He'd spent a lot of time in Afghanistan replaying that conversation over in his head. Then, a chance meeting in the middle of a desert, and he'd let himself get lost in another. Someone who wanted exactly what he was offering.

Even if he was only offering half of himself. Some nights, in the dark, he wondered who in the relationship was being cheated more.

"Dr. Brennan loves you, Agent Booth. In my professional opinion, you are the first person she's truly loved since her parents left."

"All because of some book you wrote?" Booth asked with a sneer.

"All because I have eyes and can see what's right in front of me," Sweets countered.

Clenching his jaw, Booth turned back forward and stared out the windshield. "I suppose that doesn't really matter now, does it Sweets? I'm with Hannah. That's where I belong. She accepts

what I'm willing to give."

"Then you're a fool, Agent Booth. You had what everyone dreams about right in front of you. You waited five years to tell her your feelings because you were scared to do so, then when she got scared you took off. Five years for you to work up the courage," he said again, driving the point home. "You didn't wait five minutes for her."

Ignoring the growing tension from the other side of the car, Sweets continued. "Of course, like I said, I wasn't there. Is there something in that description that's wrong? Did you try to convince her? Show her all the ways she was wrong? You know Dr. Brennan better than she knows herself. Do you really believe she's not in love with you?"

The slam of Booth's palm against the dash was loud in the SUV. Angry at Sweets' words, Booth worked to control his temper. "This conversation is over," he said softly, reaching to put the vehicle back in gear.

"You're right, it is over," Sweets said. Before Booth could move the car forward again, Sweets threw off the seatbelt and fumbled for the handle of the door. "Go interview the witness yourself, Booth. I'll call a cab to get back to my office."

Watching with an expression Sweets could describe any number of ways, Booth let him go. It was probably for the best they not be together right then.

As soon as the door was closed, Booth pulled away from the curb, only to round the corner and park where Sweets couldn't see him. It wasn't until the cab had picked up his colleague that Booth continued on to the interview.

Back in his office, Sweets dug through his file cabinet to find the manuscript of his book about Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan. He flipped through the pages, trying to decide who he was the angriest at. Agent Booth for giving up so easily, Dr. Brennan for not taking a chance, himself for encouraging the stupid conversation to begin with, or fate in general?

Frustrated, he picked up the pages and tossed them toward the ceiling of his office, watching as they fell to the ground like snow.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Knowing Sweets was right about the gift didn't help Booth. He still didn't know what to get her. As for the rest of it? He refused to think about it. Bones being in love with him was something he wasn't prepared to deal with. It was Christmas and he was with Hannah. He loved her and she loved him. It was a mantra he'd been repeating to himself since she'd shown up in DC.

And Bones loved him and he loved her. A mantra he'd been trying to ignore for just as long. Hearing Sweets say the words just made it worse. Why did the man even need to bring that out into the open?

Still, he needed to get her a gift. Booth had always prided himself on buying things that had great meaning for Bones. Jasper the pig and Brainy Smurf may have seemed silly to others, but he knew Bones treasured them.

After his interview, he wandered around the mall for a time, meandering in and out of stores. Jewelry was a definite no, as were the other gifts prominently displayed for holiday shoppers. Sure there were beautiful things, but none of them were right for his partner.

Confused and frustrated, he found himself sitting in the food court at the center of the mall, watching the people around him. Happy couples, arguing couples, they were all here if you took the time to look for it. Booth wondered what people saw when they took the time to notice him.

Did they assume he was single? Married? What sort of fantasies did they invent to explain a lone man sitting in the middle of the mall?

Whatever they thought, Booth was sure it didn't come close to the reality of his life. Could people realize just what a mess he was by looking at him? Did they know he was living with one women and still trying to forget another?

Tossing the cup of coffee he'd purchased, he let his feet take him wherever, not giving the destination any consideration. That was how he found himself in a quiet corner of the mall, in front of a small storefront.

Curious, he wondered how he'd missed this. It was a small book store, not affiliated with any of the larger chains he was familiar with. Giving the lone clerk a small smile, he found himself wandering back to the fiction section first. Sure enough, several of Bones' books were prominently displayed. He picked one up and flipped through it, wondering how many people could say they were best friends with a famous author.

And her inspiration. He felt a momentary twinge of panic for Agent Andy's fate now that he and Bones weren't as close anymore. Would she take out some of her feelings on her imaginary characters? Her muse may be deciding that Agent Andy's time, and perhaps his, was coming to an end.

Shuddering at the reaction of her fans to that plot twist, Booth put the book back on the shelf with a little more force than necessary. Moving away, he wandered back toward the science section of the store.

He wasn't surprised to find a book here with her name on it as well. Amused, he perused the books nearby, wondering how many more she'd had a hand in. Or how many she had read.

Most, if he knew his partner as well as he thought he did.

He spotted a book on the bottom shelf and reached down to grab it. He wasn't sure what made him reach for it, but he went with the instinct that had always served him so well.

It was one of those oversized books that was designed to sit on a coffee table. But it wasn't the size that had called to him. It was the topic. A catalog of fractures illustrated with x-rays. Booth flipped through it, thinking of all the things Brennan had learned about him, just by looking at his x-ray films over the years. What would she discern about the victims in here, just by looking?

Still, it didn't seem like quite enough. He was sure it was something Bones would find fascinating, but it wasn't quite personal enough. He needed her to know that he still treasured her, even if he was with Hannah now.

Inspiration suddenly teased, and he forced himself to relax, allowing the idea to come. And as it did, he smiled, knowing just what he needed to do to make this the perfect gift.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

"Hey, Bones," Booth said as he entered her office two days before Christmas. She was packing her things to go home for the long weekend.

"Booth," she said, looking up quickly from her task before going back to it. She didn't want him to see the regret or longing in her eyes. This year, instead of spending Christmas with him, she would be alone. And while she didn't believe in his God, she'd still enjoyed spending the day with him.

But he was too perceptive of a man to miss it. He recognized the look and knew he was the one who'd put it there. It also meant there was very little he could do to make it go away.

"I brought your gift," he said. In his hands, he held the book he purchased. He'd wrapped it in his office an hour ago, away from prying eyes.

She looked down at the gift and up at him. "I didn't expect anything from you this year," she admitted. It went without saying that she thought he'd be more worried about what he'd buy his new girlfriend, rather than his old friend.

He raised an eyebrow, faking surprise at her conclusion. She didn't need to know that if it wasn't for Sweets, she might have been right. "Of course, I got you a gift," he reassured her.

She looked back at her bag again. "I didn't get you anything," she whispered. "I wasn't sure what was appropriate now that Hannah was here. I'd normally ask you, but…" she trailed off, shrugging her shoulders.

"Stop," he said, coming forward to place the gift in front of her. "I didn't expect anything from you. It's okay."

Fighting the desire to comfort her, Booth shoved his hands into his pockets. "I'm glad that we're still partners after all these years. Getting to spend time with you is gift enough, Bones."

She sniffed, not sure whether to believe him or not. Stiffening her spine, she looked up at him again, careful to mask what she was feeling. Brennan didn't want to make him uncomfortable. "Is Parker coming this year?"

Booth appreciated her attempt to change the topic to something more neutral. He smiled, his entire body relaxing at the thought of his son. "Yeah, but he won't be here until the 28th. A little late this year, but that was the only way we could make it work."

Brennan nodded, knowing that not only would she miss out on spending time with Booth this Christmas, she would also not see Parker. "I'm glad for you," she said, hiding her own pain.

Looking at what Brennan had tucked into her bag, Booth was surprised to see an airline ticket. She hadn't said she was traveling. Before she had time to react, he reached forward and grabbed it.

"Booth, give that back to me," she demanded.

He flipped it over. "You're leaving?"

Using his focus on the ticket to her advantage, Brennan pulled it from his fingers. "I've accepted an invitation to present at a conference in Arizona the week after Christmas. I've got nothing keeping me here this year, so I'm leaving this afternoon."

Except that was a lie. One he would discover long after she was gone.

"Oh," he uttered, shoving his hand back into his pocket. He had no right to be disappointed, but he was. "I guess I should let you get going then."

"Wait," she said, holding out her hand. "Let me open your gift first."

But he refused. "Open it on the plane. It will give you something to do on the flight." Backing away, he stopped at the door to see her running her fingers along the holiday paper. "Merry Christmas, Bones."

"Same to you, Booth."

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

She waited until her flight was in the air before pulling the present out of her carry-on bag. She knew from the shape and weight it was a book, and she was curious to see exactly what Booth had purchased for her.

Trembling fingers pulled at the tape. She didn't want to rip the paper. With Hannah in the picture, she didn't expect gifts from him and if this was the last gift ever, she wanted to save every part of it.

A delighted smile broke through when she saw the title. Flipping to the first image, she studied the break, coming to the correct conclusion regarding the injury before reading the description. For her, it was almost like a puzzle book and she looked forward to spending some free time studying the various x-rays.

Still, a small part of her was disappointed that it wasn't more personal. Booth usually gave her something that had special meaning. And while the book was interesting, it wasn't quite what Brennan expected.

Until she flipped to the rear of the book. The pages there were different, clearly added after the book was purchased. Carefully, she turned to the first added page.

It was the image of a leg, with Jack Hodgins name at the top. She didn't need to look at the description beneath it to know it was the x-ray of the leg injured when the Gravedigger had struck him with the car. She'd done surgery on that leg, without pain killers.

There were nights Brennan wasn't sure if it was her screams or his she heard when she woke from that nightmare.

Chasing away the memory, she slowly turned the page. The next was a set of lungs with Cam's name at the top. Howard Epps had threatened them all, but Cam had suffered the most. Inhaling a toxin performing an autopsy, a sick gift from Epps, she came close to paying for the mistake with her life.

It had taken all of them to save her from a serial killer.

The next image contained a set of hands that Brennan recognized immediately. They bore the markers of someone who held paintbrushes frequently and she smiled at the thought of her best friend.

Brennan considered Angela the most human of any of them. She didn't see the world the way the rest of them did. A talented artist who gave victims back their identity, it was right that her skill marked her bones.

Angela had asked her to come for Christmas, but Brennan had refused. She'd rather spend the holiday alone, than spend it trying to fit in. Angela would never make her feel like she didn't belong, but it wasn't where Brennan wanted to be.

Booth's apartment was where she wanted to spend the day. But she didn't belong there anymore than she belonged at Angela's.

Following the hands was a shoulder. She didn't need to look at the name to know it was Booth's. As was the x-ray of the opposite shoulder on the following page. Both injuries sustained when he'd saved her life.

She was surprised when the tear dripped on the page and she hurried to wipe it away before it marked the paper. Thankful she always flew first class, there was no one next to her to ask why she cried.

The moisture was warm on her fingertips. Like Booth's blood had been after he'd stepped in front of a bullet for her. Those two weeks had been the worst of her life, up until these last several months. Brennan wasn't sure if it was easier to lose him to death or to another woman. And it was her own fault she had to decide now.

There were several more images, but she found herself too emotional to look at them. She'd save them for later, when she was alone in her hotel room that night. There would be no one there while she wept.

Flipping the book closed, she was startled when a piece of paper fell out of the back. She retrieved it and unfolded it slowly, immediately recognizing Booth's handwriting.

 _Without you, none of us would be here. Merry Christmas, Bones._

 _-Booth_

Brennan was happy she'd put the book aside, as the tears fell faster. Booth had no way of knowing that she'd been contemplating not coming back to the Jeffersonian.

Those twelve words would bring her home again.


	2. Day 1

Except, despite her best intentions, they didn't. At least, not right away. It was other things that brought her home. Things like worry. And love. In the end, it took more than those simple words on a plain, white paper.

"Welcome to our small museum. We don't have a lot of funding, but we are proud of the work we do here." The woman, smartly dressed in a gray top and black pants, looked around the room in front of her. It wasn't the Jeffersonian, but she wasn't embarrassed by what she had, what she'd managed to obtain over the years.

Brennan nodded, noting the chairs held together with silver tape and the tables scarred from use. But she also noted the equipment that was available was clearly well maintained. Money was being used for the important things, something Brennan found encouraging. She wouldn't tolerate working at a place where money was spent on frivolous things, like office furniture, while equipment was ignored.

Because that's what this was. A place she could work. Far away from Washington, DC, and a winter that was going on both outside her home and inside herself.

She hadn't intended to actually come to the interview, especially so close to the holidays. But it seemed rude not to hear the woman out. Besides, ancient remains was a field that Brennan just couldn't let go of. It fascinated her, studying the lives of those who'd come before her.

But she also saw something she didn't recognize. Something she thought she needed. At least, she was trying to convince herself she did. Something her heart didn't really want, but her mind was working really hard on convincing it that it did.

Peace.

There wasn't a multitude of people running around a giant room, files in hand. There wasn't a platform where every move was scrutinized and studied. No impatient agents or lawyers or Booth, waiting for results Brennan wasn't ready to give.

It was a safe place where she could work. Explore theories she hadn't had time to consider in several years.

Things she'd wanted in Maluku and couldn't find. Not when thoughts of Booth, and what she'd walked away from, haunted her every waking moment. Days spent writing letters that she burned each evening, too afraid to allow what was in them to be known to anyone but herself.

Could she find what she find it here, in this quiet museum so far from the family she'd made? And if she did, was that what she really wanted. To leave her exciting and fascinating life behind to go back to research?

Was this the place she could finally let go of Booth and forgive herself for the chance she hadn't taken. Could Brennan find a way to forgive him for not waiting for her to catch up?

"Dr. Brennan?" the woman said again and Brennan blinked hard before smiling vaguely. "Would you like to see the skeletons we discovered recently?"

Her tour guide, Sarah, motioned toward a second area of the facility. The part Brennan was really interested in, the research portion. The woman waiting patiently didn't look much older than Brennan, but there was experience in her eyes. What did she see when she looked at Brennan?

"I would," Brennan said. She hitched her bag a little higher on her shoulder and fell into step next to Sarah. "When was the most recent skeleton discovered?"

"A little more than six months ago," Sarah said. Swiping a card in front of the security reader, Sarah opened the door and waited until Brennan entered in front of her. Turning on the lights, she revealed the secret behind the door. "Female," she said, pointing to a table where Brennan could place her bag. "There are some early indications she is indigenous to this area."

Bending over for a closer look at the skull, Brennan allowed several minutes to pass before rising again. "Local tribes?"

Sarah nodded. "Several. I have worked hard over the last decade to establish a working relationship with each of them. Because of that hard work, they trust us and give us the time to come to the correct conclusions about which tribe this ancestor belongs to." Her face clouded before she continued. "Sometimes, I feel that work takes too long. It can be difficult to determine the exact tribe a skeleton originates from. That's where you come in."

Brennan nodded, encouraging her to continue.

"I'm hoping, we're hoping, you'll give us some time. Six months, a year, whatever you

can give, to help this process go a little faster. That you'll be able to find the clues we miss. You can use your conclusions and information you learn to author papers or further your own studies. We won't be able to pay you much, but this is important work to a lot of people Dr. Brennan."

Holding up her hand, Brennan waited until silence had fallen in the room again. "Can I have a moment?" she asked.

"Of course," Sarah responded quickly, stepping back to lean against the door and give her guest the illusion of privacy. She'd seen a lot in her years and recognized a woman who was running from something. If she needed a place to rest, Sarah hoped that her quiet facility could give her what she needed. And Sarah could use her help, for as long as that took.

Pushing Sarah out of her mind, Brennan walked slowly around the table, her eyes focused on the skeleton in front of her. A woman who no longer had a name or a past. If she stayed, could hers be forgotten as well? Would her friends, and Booth, move on with their lives until she was nothing more than a fond memory to them?

She could find quiet here, Brennan was sure of that. It was a place where she could lose herself in her work for a time. Safer than Maluku, she wouldn't have to worry about the decision she'd made or wonder if Booth would give her another chance to answer. He'd moved on.

But could she find peace? Would her heart, an organ she'd managed to ignore her entire adult life, heal here? Would the desert air finally dry the tears that never seemed to stop coming?

"There are markers here to indicate this woman spent a significant amount of time walking. She rarely stayed in one place."

Sarah nodded, but didn't speak. There was a tension she was hesitant to break. In fact, she wasn't sure if Dr. Brennan even remembered she was in the room.

Was it a sign that it was time for her to return to her nomadic lifestyle? She'd barely been back from Maluku for six months. Was it time for her to move on again?

"Are any of your tribes nomadic?" Brennan asked, raising her eyes to meet Sarah's.

"Two of the four we were considering are considered nomadic. Or were, when this woman lived and died. But her bones indicate it was more than just a nomadic lifestyle. This woman walked a lot. We are also considering she lived in this area during a drought and walked a significant amount each day to collect water for her tribe."

Her skeleton reminded Brennan of one in the book Booth gave her for Christmas. A book where he gave her credit for saving all of them at one point or another. But if she'd never met Booth, if she'd never agreed to help the FBI, would any of them had been in those situations to begin with?

Perhaps it wasn't a good thing Booth had added all those pages at the back of the book. Was it a reminder of all she'd done right, or everything she'd done wrong?

"Your skeleton did not live her entire life in one place. She explored a small part of the world before she lived and died," Brennan said, echoing Sarah's words.

Life and death. It wasn't just a life that began and ended. It was hopes and dreams.

And relationships.

"Three months," Brennan said, looking up to catch Sarah's broadening smile. "I'll give you three months and then we'll go from there."


	3. Day 2

_The Arizona State Museum actually exists and does have a bioarchaeology department. If you are a researcher, you can apply for access to their Human Skeletal Collection. I borrowed that information for my smaller museum Brennan has decided to work at._

 _Thanks for all the reviews._

The ding of simultaneously received emails echoed through the quiet rooms of the Jeffersonian. It was the day before the long Christmas weekend and the faces of Brennan's closest friends were relaxed and friendly as they looked forward to the time with friends and family.

Until they opened the email.

Angela and Cam were the first to exit their respective offices, heels clicking in the disappearing quiet of the facility as the email spread like wildfire. Their eyes, reflecting a combination of shock and disbelief met as they crossed the room.

"Did you…," Angela asked, her voice trailing off as Cam nodded her head.

"The Arizona State Museum? Bioarcheaology department?" Cam asked. "Did she mention anything?"

"No, nothing," Angela said. "She wouldn't come to my house for Christmas. I invited her, encouraged her to come. Said she was going to a conference or a dig or something." She waved her hand in the air. "Does it matter? What she was going on was a job interview."

"Why now?" Cam asked. "What did we do wrong?"

"I know why now. And so do you," Angela said. Her voice was rising, her frustration and annoyance with the situation clear.

"Ladies," Hodgins interrupted, cautiously joining the two women. "Perhaps we should take this conversation behind closed doors?"

Cam nodded and began moving, before stopping again. "Not yours. You have spiders. We'll go to mine."

The clicking of their heels was louder as the disappeared behind the quickly closed door of Cam's office.

"She left because of Booth," Angela exploded.

Hodgins sighed, knowing Angela would go to that conclusion immediately. "Maybe what she needs isn't here anymore. Maybe Maluku reminded her of how much she enjoyed working with ancient remains." Even to him, the argument sounded weak, but he felt it was important to try and talk the women down before Booth inevitably showed up.

"Really, Hodgins?" Angela snapped, pacing away from him. "I love you, but really?"

Cam sighed and turned to stare out the windows of her office. "She's been distant lately. It was so gradual, you could almost miss it if you weren't looking."

"She's protecting herself," Angela said, coming to stand next to Cam. Both knew the other was watching for the same person. "What will you say to him when he gets here?"

"What can I say? He has a right to his own life Angela, despite what you think."

Angela gave an unladylike snort of derision. "He loves her, she loves him."

"Sometimes, Angela, that isn't enough. With Dr. Brennan," she shrugged, "it would take a monumental amount of courage for her to take that step. It could take her a lifetime. Is it fair to ask him to wait for her?"

"Is it fair that she thinks her only choice is to leave? Just once, I wish she'd talk to us."

Cam gave Angela a glance. "And what would you say to her? Would you counsel patience, with the hope that he and Hannah would break up? She would never wish him pain. Or would you wish her pain instead, by having her stay while he moved on? Neither path is easy, or one I would choose for them."

"Damn," Angela muttered. "Why do you have to be the sensible one?"

"I'm trying to keep my lab together," Cam said, despite the fact her heart was breaking for her friends. "If everyone leaves again, I'm definitely getting fired this time."

"He gave her a book for Christmas," Angela said after a pause. "Added pages to the back to represent all she'd done for us. I helped him, even though I wasn't sure I could get past my anger to do so. It was so like him, like them, to turn something general into something that had great meaning. If they can't settle whatever is between them, we are going to lose one or both of them."

Cam remained silent, not wanting to admit to Angela that she agreed with her.

Both turned when the doors to the lab slip open and Booth entered. Angela stepped back to head toward him, when Cam put a hand out to stop her. "Hodgins beat you to it," she said.

Turning, Angela watched him motion Booth toward his office. "That's okay," she said, her voice making Cam wince in sympathy, "I'll catch up with Booth later."

"What do you want," Booth said. Despite the cool tone to his voice, he followed Hodgins into his lab. "How do you work in here?" Booth asked, stopping to watch a snake slither its way up a branch.

Hodgins ignored the question, knowing it wasn't what Booth really wanted to ask. "No, we didn't know she was leaving. No, we don't know when she's coming back. If you want a somewhat peaceful day, I suggest you go back to your office and hide there. Refuse visitors. If Angie finds you, you'll regret it."

"I'm not afraid of Angela," Booth said. He stood straight again, and wandered toward another corner of the lab.

"I am," Hodgins admitted. There was no humor in the short laugh that followed. "She's very protective of Dr. B."

"Are you suggesting I'm not?" Booth asked, moving so he had a clear view of Hodgins's face.

Hodgins held up his hands in surrender. "Of course, not. But I've been where Dr. Brennan is. Watching someone move on can be difficult. More for people who have trouble with emotions to begin with."

"We weren't dating, Bones and I," Booth argued.

It was close, but Hodgins managed not to laugh. "I'm not sure there's a name to what you two were doing. She needs her space, Booth. Give it to her."

"She had almost a year of space."

"She had a year of space, when you both were single. Now you have Hannah. She just needs time to adjust again. You've told people it takes her time to get used to an idea. Give that to her now. She'll be back."

There was a headache building behind Booth's eyes and he rubbed at his head in irritation. "You want me to let her go?"

"Think about it, " Hodgins encouraged. "And go back to your office. It isn't safe for you here."

Booth nodded, his headache growing in intensity with each step. His eyes burned as he exited the Jeffersonian, something he attributed to the bright sunlight. Squinting, he sat for a moment in the driver's seat of his vehicle, before putting it into gear and heading toward his office.


	4. Day 3

_Thank you for all the reviews, favorites, and follows. This update is early today so I can reset that pesky 24 hour timer on Fanfiction. Otherwise, I'll be posting updates at midnight…_

 _For the reviewer that said this was a little angsty for Christmas, you're right, it is. But Bones and Booth always get a happy ending._

Booth knew she was coming. Hodgins had warned him, after all. Besides, Angela couldn't get through security without a phone call from Booth giving her permission to come to his office. And she was escorted there by another agent. Who made small talk with her in the elevator. How that agent couldn't see Angela was ready to claw someone's eyes out, she'd never understand.

She was smart enough to wait until the second agent had left and Booth's door was closed behind her before she let loose.

"Arizona? You let her go to Arizona?"

Booth groaned. His headache was worse, and he was afraid it was from more than Bones leaving right before Christmas. "I don't think I let Bones do anything. She pretty much does what she wants to."

"Don't act all cavalier and unconcerned about this, Booth. This is Bren we're talking about here. Christmas is almost here and she's spending the holiday by herself. This is your fault," she said, pointing at him in anger. "Your fault you brought that girl home."

"That girl's name is Hannah. And I didn't bring her home," Booth said, wondering why the correction even mattered. "Hannah followed me to DC. I didn't ask her to come here." But it had been a welcome relief when she had. A distraction from the feelings he'd realized he still held for Bones.

Who had just flown across the country to take another job. This Christmas was shaping up to be one of his worst.

The tree at his apartment wasn't totally decorated. Parker was away with Rebecca and Hannah showed very little interest in the holiday. He'd always been able to count on spending Christmas day with Bones but even that wasn't an option this year.

It appeared, for the first time in a long time, he'd be celebrating alone. Even if Hannah was there, and not working on some story, it wouldn't be the same.

"And you didn't ask her to leave," Angela snapped, interrupting his thoughts of the holiday. But she'd noticed the sadness he hadn't tried to hide. "Why can't you just ask the women around you for what they want?"

"I did!" he roared, causing Angela to step back in shock. And he to wince in pain. She'd rarely if ever heard him raise his voice in anger or frustration. And he was clearly both.

Booth noted the step back and pushed the guilt down. He never wanted to scare a woman, no matter his frustration level, but this had gone far enough. "I asked her. I asked her for a lifetime and she turned me down flat. I asked her and she turned me down. I didn't walk away from the chance. She did. Were you aware of that, Angela?"

His eyes were as cold as his voice, daring her to argue with what he'd revealed.

"Oh, Bren," she whispered. Bringing her hand up to her mouth she closed her eyes for a moment and reformed every opinion and conclusion she'd made about what had happened between Booth and Brennan. "She never told me."

Taking a deep breath, Booth fought to get his emotions under control, angry at himself for revealing something he'd never told anyone.

God, he was so tired. And his headache just wouldn't go away. But he would finish this.

Waiting until her eyes reopened, Booth continued. "She didn't tell anyone, and neither did I. And I shouldn't have said it now. But I'm done being blamed by you and Camille and Brennan for choosing to move on with my life. I asked for what I wanted and I certainly would never force a woman to give me what I want." His anger fading, Booth slumped into his desk chair and leaned back. "She said no."

"Did you see her?" Angela asked. "Before she left?"

Booth nodded. "I gave her the gift I told you about. The one you helped with."

"The x-rays."

"I put them all in the back of the book and gave it to her." He left out the part about the handwritten note he'd included. Booth wasn't revealing all his secrets this afternoon. "There was an airline ticket in her bag," he said after a pause.

Knowing she hadn't been welcome before, and probably wasn't now, Angela did not sit, despite the fact her legs were just a bit shaky beneath her. "You know she loves you, Booth."

"Only as her friend, Angela. And you can't expect me to wait forever for her to decide that she wants more than that from me."

Cam said almost the same thing to her. "But you love her," Angela pointed out, not ready to give up.

Booth rolled his head toward her and back to stare at the ceiling, not confirming or denying what Angela had just said to him. "I'm not going after her." He'd given some thought to what Hodgins had said. And decided that bug boy was correct.

"So what are you going to do?"

"The ball is in her court this time. Not that she'd understand that phrase." The laugh he gave was sad. "Stay or go is on her. I won't be blamed for forcing her to make a choice she doesn't want to make. Not this time."

Taking it as a dismissal, Angela moved to the door before pausing. "Booth, I'm not afraid of you."

Confused by the statement, Booth stood and waited for her to continue.

"When I took a step back from you a few minutes ago, I'm not afraid of you. The news just startled me, that's all." She wasn't sure why she was trying to explain, but Angela trusted her instincts and somehow knew Booth needed to hear the words.

"I don't like to lose my temper," Booth said simply.

"But I'm not afraid of you," she repeated. "Not once. I've been afraid for you, like right now. But not afraid of you."

"Thanks, Angela," he said as he reached for the phone to have her escorted from his building.

She nodded and as she walked away from his office, prayed that two people she considered family would somehow get a Christmas miracle.


	5. Day 4

He entered the apartment, his eyes drawn to the book resting on the coffee table. After giving the book to Bones, he'd returned to the store and purchased an identical copy for himself. He'd opened it a couple of times over the last week, thumbing through the pages, just to feel a little closer to a friend he was sure he was losing.

Booth had no idea how right he was at the time.

"Damn her," he muttered, knowing he wouldn't go after her this time either. What he'd said to Angela had been the truth. It was her decision, and he would do nothing to influence her.

She'd said no, afraid to lose her best friend. And they'd lost each other anyway.

Now, he picked the book up into his hand and flipped through the pages again. Wondering what mistake he'd made giving her the gift. Then closed the cover slowly and holding it like a frisbee, threw it with everything he had across the room.

It shattered several items on the bookshelf when it struck, the pieces falling to the floor along with the book. It fell open to the only personal page he'd included in his, a copy of the x-ray taken after he was shot by Pam Noonan.

"Figures," he muttered, stepping away from the mess to get a drink. Before considering and grabbing the entire bottle instead. His headache was no better and a touch of his hand to his forehead told him he probably had a fever. The perfect addition to his already less than perfect Christmas.

The footsteps behind him were tentative, stopping at the threshold of the room. He took a long swallow from the bottle before turning. "I'm fine," he said before she could ask.

Pressing her lips together, Hannah nodded slowly. The fever was clear in his eyes as they met hers. But it was more than a virus weighing him down. "Is Temperance fine?" she asked, noting which book lay open on the floor. She'd noticed the strong reactions he had whenever his partner was mentioned. And knew what it meant for the two of them. Internally, she shrugged. It had been fun while it lasted.

"She's fine, I'm fine, everything is fine," he said again. But looked away from her eyes as he took another long drink from the bottle.

"I'm glad that you think everyone is fine, Seeley. But you're not fine," she said

He blinked, as if the thought of her disagreeing had never occurred to him. He looked at the mess around the room before shrugging. "Sorry about the mess. I'll clean it up."

Hannah took a step forward, choosing her words carefully. "Are you talking about the mess on the floor, or the mess we've made of things?"

"We've made a mess of nothing, Hannah," Booth said, angry that she'd see their relationship that way. "What have we made a mess of?"

"You," she said, choosing to use the blunt method that Temperance always favored. He apparently prefered it, and the woman who wielded it with such efficiency. "You and I have made a mess of you."

"I'm not a mess," Booth said. His voice rose dangerously, before he took a breath. He wasn't a mess. Except for the fever and the emotions he didn't have the energy to control. Bones had left, again, but Booth was with the woman he'd chosen. He wasn't a mess.

Glancing from the bottle in his hand to the mess on the floor, she raised an eyebrow. "So if you aren't a mess, what are you?"

"What the hell do you want from me?" he demanded, slamming the cover back on the bottle. It seemed losing the afternoon in alcohol wasn't going to be an option. Probably for the best considering he'd come down with some sort of flu.

"I want us to have an honest conversation about you and about me and about Temperance. I feel like we owe that to each other."

"Bones is a friend. Do you think I'm the kind of man that would cheat on you?"

"No," she said quickly. "I don't believe you would physically cheat on me." Knowing the rest would upset him, she came forward and took the bottle from his hand. "But there is more than one way to cheat, Seeley. By not giving all of you, you are cheating me. But," she continued, stepping past him to return the bottle to the shelf, "I'm not exactly giving you all of me either."

Pinching the bridge of his nose, Booth closed his eyes. "Hannah, I don't have the energy for riddles. I just want to sit down and not think for awhile. Can we just skip this for now?"

"No, we aren't skipping this," she said, motioning around the room with her last word. "We have been skipping this for far too long. Where do you see us going, Seeley? I'm guessing marriage? Children?"

He reopened his eyes to look at her. "Yes, to marriage. I'd like more children, but if you don't want any, that would be fine." Except in his dreams, he always saw a girl with darker hair and blue eyes. He'd assumed those eyes were Hannah's.

Smiling gently, she ran a hand down his arm. "I don't want to get married, Seeley. Maybe not ever. I'm not even sure I want a semi-permanent relationship. And kids?" she gave a disbelieving laugh, "I don't want those either. We want very different things. Our relationship was already on shaky ground."

He reached out to grab her hand, but she pulled away.

"And you aren't over Temperance. Maybe you never will be. Just like I'll never be ready for marriage. We are two people who are committed to very different things and it's not each other. What kind of life will that be?"

"I thought I was what you wanted," Booth said. He was a little desperate, realizing that all the women in his life were walking away from him. How did he keep managing to screw this up?

Could he just skip Christmas and get to the new year? The way he was feeling at the moment, it was possible he could just sleep his way there.

"You were, then. But this is now and I won't stay when we're both going to lose. I'd lose some time, maybe pieces of my heart. But you," Hannah shook her head, "I think you have a chance at something really, really great. And I won't be the reason you don't get that."

"Bones left," he blurted out suddenly. "She left and I don't think she's coming back this time."

"Where'd she go?" There was nothing but compassion in her voice and wasn't that weird. She'd just broken up with the man and she was asking about the woman he'd been in love with for years. And she wasn't even jealous of it.

But he shook his head. "It doesn't matter. How long do you need to pack?"

"An hour. Maybe two. Go to bed Seeley. You look like hell. I'll be gone when wake up. You probably won't even hear me leave."

"There's boxes in the other room." Shrugging off his coat, he moved past her and then turned back. "Merry Christmas, Hannah. Be careful when you go back to the war zones." Not waiting for an answer, he went into the bedroom they'd shared until just a few moments before.

"Merry Christmas," she called and stood staring at the door before finally going to grab her things. Behind her, the glass on the floor twinkled like the lights on the Christmas tree they'd never finished decorating.


	6. Day 5

It was a mistake. Brennan knew it as soon as she made it back to her hotel room. An hour of silence, of having no one to call and no place to go, and she knew she'd made a decision not based on logic, but emotion.

But it was too late to take back the emails and too late to go back on her word to Sarah. Not that she wanted to do that. Sarah was doing work Brennan wanted to be a part of. It was work as important as the justice she found murder victims. The skeletons from the desert deserved to go home, too.

Reaching into her bag, she pulled out her gift from Booth and placed it on the bed in front of her. Opening to the pages he'd included in the back, she stopped at the page of Booth's injury from Pam Noonan. He'd saved her life. Then broke her heart. She'd forgiven the deception, but never forgot the feelings. Loving him was opening herself up to that again, and she hadn't been ready to do that when he'd asked her to.

It was wrong to expect him to wait for her, when she might never have been ready.

And she was wrong to be angry at herself for not being ready. Taking that step, when she wasn't capable of giving her entire heart to him, wouldn't have been fair to either of them.

Watching him with Hannah was hard. Not seeing him again, well, that wasn't something she could do either.

So it came down to a choice. Find a way to allow Booth and Hannah in her life, knowing there was always a part of her that would wonder what could have been, or leave it all behind and try to build a new family.

The problem was, she wanted the one she already had. Which made her hard decision, not that hard at all.

Brennan wanted to go back home. And she was going to find a way to get there for Christmas.

Knowing she shouldn't do it didn't stop her. She picked up her phone and dialed Booth.

"Hello?" he said.

"Booth?" she asked, pulling her phone back to verify she'd dialed the correct number. He sounded terrible. "Is that you?"

"It's me. What do you want, Bones?"

The sharpness of the question had her rethinking what she was about to say. "I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas." she finally came up with.

His laugh turned into a groan and Brennan's brow furrowed with concern. "I already got your present, Bones. I think the email was more than enough."

While his words struck a nerve, she pushed aside her guilt. "You don't sound okay, Booth. Are you drunk?"

"I was sleeping. I'm going back to sleep. Merry Christmas, Bones," he said, hanging up before she had the chance to answer.

"Sleeping?" she asked the empty room. Glancing over at the clock, she calculated the time back in DC. "It's early afternoon." There was only a couple of reasons Booth would be asleep at this hour. One was a case, something she was sure they didn't have, since she'd just left. The second was that he was ill, something that worried her. Booth was not a pleasant man when he was ill, and took very poor care of himself, leading his sickness to last much longer than it needed to.

She dialed another number quickly, tapping her leg while waiting for an answer. "Hannah," she said, when the other phone was finally picked up. "Are you in DC?"

"Temperance? Yes, I'm in DC for the moment. I'm waiting for my flight to Atlanta. I'm on my way to Europe."

"Before Christmas?" Brennan asked. She made no effort to hide her disapproval. Christmas was everything to Booth. "Booth seems to be ill. I just spoke to him on the phone and he sounds terrible."

Worried for her partner and her friend, Brennan found it unforgivable that Hannah was heading back to Europe right before Christmas.

"Yeah, he didn't look good when we broke it off. I told him to take a nap. He didn't even wake up when I grabbed my things from the bedroom. Probably coming down with something. He mentioned it was going around the office."

Or it could be other things, Brennan knew. But she was pretty sure Booth had never shared that part of his health history with Hannah. And Brennan wouldn't betray him now.

"Wait," Brennan said, trying to catch up with the conversation. "What things did you grab from the bedroom. And what did you break off?"

The quiet laugh was clear, despite the distance between them. "We broke up, Temperance. Booth and I are no longer a couple."

Brennan ignored the little leap of hope her heart gave. She was too concerned to focus on that now. "I'm sorry to hear that," she lied. Booth would have been proud of how smoothly she delivered it. "And you're going back to Europe?"

"Yes, no reason to wait around. But Booth was sick when I left. You should go check on him."

"I plan to," Brennan said. No reason to explain that it was going to be hours before she could do so. "Stay safe in Europe, Hannah."

"I will. They're calling my flight. Good luck, Temperance."

The line was dead before she had a chance to ask what Hannah was wishing her good luck with. If it was dealing with a sick Booth, Brennan knew she was going to need it. She could only hope Hannah was right, and it was just a virus causing Booth to not feel well.

But she wasn't done making phone calls yet. She made a quick call to the travel agent her publisher employed, knowing if anyone could get her on a flight back to DC this evening, it was her.

The next went to Sarah. "I need to renegotiate our deal," she said as soon as Sarah answered the phone.

It was one of the last flights out of Arizona that evening, but Brennan was resting comfortably in first class, trying to control her impatience. She would land in DC before the sun came up, keeping the promise she'd made to herself. Before the sun set on Christmas, Brennan would be back in Booth's apartment.

An apartment that would only be the home of one person now, not two. Brennan would never wish Booth pain, but couldn't avoid feeling relieved that Hannah was gone. She wasn't sure what it meant for her and Booth, but maybe she'd have a chance to find out.

And she wasn't going to let this opportunity pass. Brennan was going to tell him how she felt. Maybe, they could move forward together.

When Booth was ready, of course. He would be upset by Hannah's sudden departure. And just before his favorite holiday. This time, she might be the one waiting for him, and she was prepared to do so. She was confident in her ability to read her partner. Brennan had been practicing that skill for years.

Accepting the pillow and blanket offered, Brennan tilted the seat back slightly and closed her eyes. She knew she wouldn't sleep, but rest would be in short supply over the next few days. Booth was a miserable patient and it would take all of the skills he'd taught her over the years in order to deal with him.

Of course, it was Christmas and her arrival would be a surprise. Perhaps that would keep him from being miserable.

Seeing his mood as small price to pay for the chance she might have, Brennan stared out the window, watching the world go by beneath her.


	7. Day 6

Brennan, weighed down by a bag and dragging a suitcase behind her, walked into a disaster.

Using the key to the apartment Booth had given her years ago, she tiptoed into the room and locked the door behind her. She'd lost track of what time it was, but the sun was beginning to rise and bathe the apartment in light.

It was Christmas morning.

And what the light illuminated had Brennan's brow furrowing in confusion and concern. A copy of the book Booth had given her rested on the floor, open to an x-ray she recognized. It was surrounded by broken glass which had clearly come from the bookshelf above it. A quick study of the evidence told her the book had been the cause of the mess, making her wonder what had happened.

But of even more concern to her was the fact that the Christmas tree was not decorated. Had she been so caught up in her own misery that she'd missed something going on with her partner? What had been happening in his life that he hadn't taken the time to decorate his tree?

She might have wondered why Booth didn't talk to her, except she recognized the fact they hadn't been as close as they used to be. But surely he'd have shared something as monumental as this? Unless the issue had been Hannah and Booth didn't want to hurt her.

Emotions and feelings were troublesome things.

The door to Booth's bedroom was cracked and Brennan walked toward it, throwing her coat and purse on the couch as she passed. Pushing lightly, the door swung open enough to allow her to enter the room.

He was in bed, and from the look of the blankets around him, his sleep had been restless. Reaching forward, she rested a hand over his forehead without actually touching him fully. Startling him awake was a bad idea, something she had learned the hard way.

Even without the contact of her skin to his, she could feel the fever heat radiating from his skin. Drawing back, she looked for evidence that he had taken anything to treat it and found none. Figured.

But, she let out the breath she hadn't been aware she'd been holding since Booth answered her call. A fever indicated it was most likely a virus and not a reoccurrence of the tumor. Brennan hadn't wanted to dwell on that possibility, but it had been in the back of her mind the entire flight home.

Backing up to what she considered a safe distance, she called out to him.

Groaning, he rolled, but didn't wake.

"Booth," she said again, her voice sharper than the first time. She needed him to know she was in the apartment.

"Bones?" he grumbled. His eyes opened a slit and looked around the room before noticing her standing in the door. "You're in Arizona."

"And you're sick. Have you taken anything?"

"Go away, Bones," he ordered. His hand waved weakly around his head, before falling back to his side. "You don't get to bother me from Arizona."

Brennan sighed, unsure if he was actually delirious or just not awake. "You have a fever, Booth. I'm going to get you some medicine."

Not waiting for a response that probably wouldn't make sense anyway, Brennan rummaged around in his medicine cabinet, returning to his side with caplets designed to reduce a fever and a glass of water.

"You need to sit up and take this," she said.

He pulled himself up slowly, the actions clearly uncomfortable. Taking the medicine from her, he swallowed it without a word before slumping back down again. "Hannah left me," he said, not really believing Brennan was in the room with him.

"I know, " she said, going to the chest in his room to get another blanket for him. "I called her earlier, after I talked to you."

"You left, too, imaginary Bones," he said, chuckling a little. "Because my Bones is in Arizona."

"Then who am I?" she asked, covering him from his toes to his shoulders. Concerned, but not yet ready to rush him to the emergency room, Brennan waited for his answer.

"Don't know," Booth said. His words were slurred as he started to fall back asleep again. "But you can't be my Bones 'cause she is not here. She has to come back to me this time and I don't think she will."

"I did," Brennan said, but he was already asleep.

Two hours, she thought to herself. She'd give him two hours before waking him again to see if he was more lucid. If he wasn't, she'd have to call someone. Maybe Cam. She'd help her decide whether or not Booth needed more advanced care.

In the meantime, it gave her time to work on the various problems she'd encountered when she'd first entered the apartment.

The glass was a safety concern, but as the only one moving around the apartment, Brennan could easily avoid it for the moment. She did, however, reach into the mess and remove the book from the pile. Wondering what it meant that Booth had purchased an identical copy, Brennan shook the broken glass loose and returned it to the table where it belonged.

The reminder of Booth's injury had caused her a momentary twinge of panic, but she pushed it away as easily as she'd closed the book. There were other things for her to take care of. She'd deal with the fear that memory caused when she had time.

Because there was one thing she wouldn't put aside for later: the undecorated tree. In previous years, she'd helped Booth decorate it, and while she found the ritual silly at first, she'd come to look forward to the tradition.

It appeared she'd made a mistake in assuming Hannah would take over that job. She should have asked more probing questions of her partner.

Her experience with the process gave her knowledge of where Booth stored his ornaments and the lights required to complete the job. She pulled out boxes and totes until she found all the items she'd need.

In the living room, she turned the radio on low to Christmas music and pulled out the first set of lights. Tired, but more hopeful for the future than she'd been in a while, Brennan plugged them in to test them before stringing them on the tree.

Booth would have a good Christmas if she had to work until she collapsed.


	8. Day 7

It was three hours later when Booth woke again, but he didn't know anyone had been trying to keep track.

He rubbed at his forehead, his skin slick from the fever. He felt terrible. It seemed he'd been given a terrible gift to go with the terrible holiday: the flu.

Looking down, he was surprised to see a blanket he usually kept in a chest covering him. Had he been so out of it, he didn't remember retrieving it? Sure, he'd felt terrible, not hearing Hannah as she'd packed her stuff to leave, but he didn't feel like he'd been that sound asleep.

He'd worried, at first, that the headache was indicative of another problem, but he'd had his annual appointment only the month before and been given a clean bill of health. The doctor had reassured him that his type of tumor, if it came back, was slow growing, so Booth was sure that wasn't the cause.

Knowing he needed medicine to fight the flu, he managed to sit up in bed, but stopped before rising to his feet. Why did he have a vague recollection of already taking something? And why did it feel like Bones had been there to give it to him?

"Damn fever," he muttered, pulling the blanket around his shoulders and staggering toward the living room.

Only to stop and lean against the doorframe in genuine shock. The tree, which he and Hannah had never taken the time to decorate was glowing with more white lights than he'd ever seen. It appeared as if every strand he owned had been strung amongst the branches.

And there were ornaments. Hockey ornaments he'd collected over the years and the handmade ones Parker presented to him each holiday. They were all there; the important ones and some he hadn't seen in years.

"Who? How?" he whispered, looking around his living room. Even the mess in the corner had disappeared. The book, that book he'd bought just to feel a little closer to Bones, was back in its place on the table. It appeared its impromptu flight and rough landing hadn't done any damage. Too bad. Booth wasn't sure he wanted a daily reminder of what he'd lost this holiday.

Except one of those things was sitting up on his couch watching him through tired eyes. She shook her head and blinked hard before jumping to her feet.

"Booth! Go back to bed. Now." Despite the force behind the order, he ignored it.

"Did you do this?" he asked. "And what are you doing here?"

"Go back to bed, Booth," she said again. Brennan was relieved that his confusion appeared to be gone. "And I'll answer your questions."

But he shook his head and came toward the couch. Quickly, she sat up and pulled her feet back to give him room. "I didn't mean to fall asleep, but I didn't get any last night and then there were things I needed to take care of here. I swear I only sat down a minute ago."

"You decorated my tree."

"You didn't," she answered. "Why wouldn't you decorate your tree? You love Christmas. It's your favorite."

He leaned back, his eyes looking nowhere but the tree in front of him. "Have you ever decorated a tree by yourself before?"

If he'd been looking, he would have seen the look of concern flash across her face. "Not by myself. Only with you. Did I do it wrong?"

The tone had him shifting his eyes toward her. "It's perfect, Bones. One of the best I've ever seen. But that doesn't explain what you're doing in my apartment. You were in Arizona less than a day ago. You sent an email."

"You're too sick for this now," she said, getting to her feet. "It's a bit too early for more medicine but you need to drink liquids or the fever will make you dehydrated."

Booth watched her, unable to believe she was actually in his apartment. "I'm hallucinating this because of the fever, right?"

From behind him she laid a cold hand against his warm forehead. "Your fever isn't that severe, Booth. I made an attempt to find a thermometer, but it seems you don't own one. Still, I don't believe your fever has reached dangerous levels. And with the fever, I don't think we have to worry that any other symptoms you have are from anything other than a virus. I'll get you some water and you can go back to bed. I can rest on the couch so I am nearby if you need something."

"You should have thrown that book away," he said. The sudden change of subject confused Brennan and she paused to see if he would clarify. Booth pushed at his with his foot, shoving it back to the floor. "You didn't need all those bad memories. God, Bones," he groaned, closing his eyes again, "I feel like I'm dying."

"You aren't," Brennan reassured him, handing over a glass of water. "You need to drink. It will help break the fever. As for the rest," she continued, bending over to pick the book up again, "we will talk about it later. I won't leave until we do."

He rolled the cool glass over his heated skin. "Okay," he said, not sure he believed her. And at that moment, he didn't have the energy to care.

If this was some version of a Christmas miracle, he'd take it. Bones was back in his apartment less than twenty-four hours after sending an email telling everyone she wouldn't be back. Given how the last few days had gone, he'd take whatever he could get.

"But I'm not going back to that bedroom. Not yet. I need to stare at this tree a little while longer." He turned toward her and his eyes held a childlike wonder that made her catch her breath. "It really is beautiful, Bones. A couple days ago, you said you didn't have a gift for me, but you were wrong. I couldn't have asked for anything better."

She pulled a blanket from the back of the couch and tucked it around him. "Just rest, Booth. I'll be here if you need something." Satisfied he was covered appropriately, she found one for herself and curled up in the chair near him. "If you need anything, please ask. Don't be your typically stubborn self and try to do more than you should."

He smiled in pleasure at the Bones lecture and turned back toward his gift. He'd meant what he told her, it was perfect. It was like she'd taken all the best parts of him and hung them from the branches.

Booth knew he should be more upset about Hannah leaving, and when he felt well again, he probably would be. But for the moment, he was content to pretend there was nothing going on in his life but Bones and the tree that lit his apartment with its soft glow.

Hard conversations would come in the next day or two, but for the moment he was content to allow his eyes to close, knowing Bones was closer than he'd dared to hope on his favorite day of the year.

Pleased to see that he was going to rest, Brennan closed her eyes as well, knowing that she had made the correct choice. It wasn't a dusty museum in Arizona that she needed. Booth's apartment was where she belonged.


	9. Day 8

He threw the blankets off in frustration. "Why am I so hot? I was freezing only a few minutes ago."

Rising to her feet, Brennan put her hand against his forehead for what she was sure was the hundredth time. This time she smiled slightly. "You are much cooler. I think your fever has broken. How is your headache?"

Pausing, he took a deep breath. "It's gone," he said. Relieved, he rose to his feet. "I'm taking a shower."

"Cool shower," Bones said. Her look indicated that she wouldn't tolerate an argument from him. "You don't want to raise your body temperature again."

Grumbling, he disappeared into the bedroom, secretly pleased she felt comfortable enough to order him around.

Waiting until the door closed, Brennan grabbed the blankets and threw them into the washing machine. The entire apartment would need a thorough cleaning, and this was an easy place to start.

Booth left the bedroom ten minutes later, clad in sweats and an FBI t-shirt.

"I like that one," she said. She pointed at his shirt with a soup ladle, then used it to point at a chair. "Sit down. I managed to make chicken noodle soup with what food you had here. Which isn't much. Have you been shopping?"

His hand ran through still damp hair as he sat down. "Shopping? Don't remember when I shopped. Hannah…," he trailed off, instantly regretting saying the name.

"She's on her way back to Europe," Brennan said. "I talked to her and she was in the airport." Carefully, she placed a full bowl of soup in front of Booth. "What happened?"

Booth shrugged, taking a bite of soup to avoid answering. "Reality. We had different goals."

Sitting next to him with her own bowl, Brennan looked at him. "I don't know what that means."

"This soup is amazing, Bones. You're full of hidden talents. Tree decorating and cooking. Hannah wants a life of adventure and war zones. I want to stay in one place and get married. Or at least form a long-term relationship with someone," he added. Not sure why Bones had returned, Booth didn't want to say anything to chase her away. More than once, she said she didn't believe in marriage. But Booth was more than willing to be with her, even if marriage was something that she never agreed to.

Nodding, Brennan focused on her food for a few moments, processing her thoughts. When she didn't speak, Booth nudged her with his elbow. "Why did you come back?" he asked her. "You sent an email that said you weren't, and then there you were. In my apartment. On Christmas."

"You were sick. Hannah was at the airport. You needed me." She ducked her head, suddenly shy.

"So you aren't staying?" he asked. The soup no longer sat comfortably on his stomach and he pushed the rest away.

"In Washington? And the Jeffersonian? I'm staying. I spoke to Cam while you were sleeping. I felt bad calling her on Christmas, but she didn't seem to mind."

Booth chuckled. "I'm sure she didn't."

"And," she continued, "my family is here. You were right. There is more than one kind of family. And here is mine. I wasn't as ready to leave that behind as I thought."

Somehow, she'd avoided clearly mentioning him in that entire answer. "Were you coming back, even if Hannah hadn't left?"

Would she have? Brennan was pretty sure she would. But Booth being sick and alone had been the catalyst that brought her home.

Worry and love. In the end, it had all come down to that.

"Eventually. Maybe not as fast. But you were alone. And sick," she said, putting her thoughts into words. "You need me. And I was very worried about you. So I came."

Reaching out, he took her hand into his. "I do need you, Bones. I need you to quit leaving me."

She grimaced at his words and his hand tightened. "You just said you were staying at the Jeffersonian."

"Booth, I am. But I met a woman in Arizona, at the museum I mentioned in the email. I made her a promise and I'm keeping it."

He dropped her hand. "So you are leaving again. For three months."

Brennan's hand reached out to stop him from leaving the table. "I'm trying to explain. I'm sorry I'm doing such a bad job at it."

"Dumb it down for me, Bones. I'm sick and I'm still tired. It's Christmas, Hannah left and you keep disappearing and reappearing with no explanation other than an email, which was a terrible present, by the way."

She nodded. Now was the time to keep the promise she'd made to herself. "Okay. I'm staying at the Jeffersonian. When I went to Arizona, I met a woman, Sarah, who needs help identifying ancient remains so they can be returned to the appropriate people and given the burial they deserve. I agreed to help her for three months. Then I called you and Hannah and you were sick. She left and I love you, so I came home. But Sarah still needs my help. So I am going one week a month for as long as it takes to assist her."

It had all come out in one breath and she took a deep one when she stopped. Maybe just slipping it in the middle there wasn't the best plan, but she'd at least said the words. "I think that covers it."

"What did you say?" he asked. His hand circled her upper arm, and she looked down before meeting his eyes again.

"I can repeat it word for word if you want?" she asked.

And he knew she could. But it wasn't all the words she wanted, just the three in the middle. "You just told me you loved me, Bones."

"Booth," she said patiently. "I just flew all night from Arizona and came straight to your apartment. I cleaned it, decorated your tree, made soup for you, and took care of you when you felt ill. I'm not good with emotions, but even I know that those actions indicate that you are more than a friend to me."

Pulling away gently, she took both soup bowls from the table to the sink. Turning, she leaned back against the counter. "I'm not sure this is the best time, Hannah hasn't been gone for twelve hours. And you aren't ready for me. But I'm ready for you.

"I wasn't ready to give you my entire heart a year ago. I was afraid of everything I could lose and not ready to see all I could gain. I've seen and felt the difference between not having a chance with you and having one. My heart is ready."

He rested a hand against his forehead to check to make sure his fever hadn't returned. Her chuckle had him shaking his head. There was no way this was happening. But he plunged ahead as if it was.

"I bought the same book. The one I purchased for you. I wanted to be close to you, Bones, and I didn't know how to do it. It was a silly thing to do. It just made it more clear to Hannah and to me that I wasn't over you." He couldn't tell her he loved her, not with Hannah having barely left his life. But he did, love her. And soon, he would tell her.

"When I took the job in Arizona, the book made me sad. Would any of those terrible things had happened if we never met? But because we met, I have a family and friends. My life if full now, more than I ever thought it could be. I really can't walk away from that."

"What are we going to do?" Booth asked.

Brennan shrugged, and for once, didn't let herself worry about a future she couldn't plan. "We're both going the same direction. We'll figure it out together. But one thing I know for sure, is that you still don't look great. You need more rest. Go to bed, Booth. I'll still be here when you wake up."


	10. Day 9

"Do you have all your things, Bones?" Booth asked, handing over the suitcase he'd been pulling for her.

"Booth," she sighed, "you watched me pack. You double checked everything I had. You know I have everything."

He'd recovered quickly from being sick, probably brought on by a combination of exhaustion and stress. And they'd spent the last two days in each other's company, enjoying the holiday that held both unexpected hope and joy.

Now, she was preparing to return to Arizona while he looked forward to Parker arriving at his apartment later that afternoon.

"And you'll text me when I get there?"

"And call you tonight. Relax, Booth. I've left before and I'll be back for work on the second."

"Alright," he said. He didn't want her to leave, but given their lack of a new case, it was a good time to give her first promised week to Sarah. "The line looks pretty short. Probably a good time for you to get through."

Reaching out, she squeezed his hand and was taken back to an airport departure that had ended almost exactly the same way. Except this time it was days and not months before she'd see him again. And this didn't feel like an ending, but a new beginning. "I'll see you in a week and call you tonight."

Dropping her hand to free his, he reached out to pull her against him. Gently, he brushed his lips to hers before pulling back and giving her a gentle shove toward the line. "Go, Bones. I'll be here to pick you up."

Their physical contact, other than the brush of a hand or sitting near each other, had been limited over the last several days, as they carefully felt their way forward, both afraid of pushing the other. It was the first time he'd dared to kiss her, if that brief touch of lips could be classified as one. Still, it would be something he replayed in his mind until her return.

"Bye, Booth," she said. Waiting until she turned, Brennan brushed her fingers against her lips, excited about the future they seemed to be heading toward.

BbBbBbBb

He threw his keys into the bowl and faced his empty apartment. It was the first time he'd been truly alone since Hannah's departure. Booth waited for more than the initial twinge of regret, but nothing came. It appeared Hannah had been right about the two of them.

He didn't consider the time spent with Hannah wasted. She'd helped him get through something that had devastated him. And if dating her had brought him here, then he couldn't regret it.

The love he'd felt for her, and Booth had loved her, had not been the depth of emotion he felt for the woman who'd just headed back to Arizona. Temporarily. He'd have to keep reminding himself of that while waiting for her return.

Bones loved him. He had yet to return the words, but he would soon. He already regretted not saying them to her. But he didn't want Bones to doubt them if they were said so soon after Hannah. Booth wanted Brennan to never question what he felt for her.

And he'd have Parker. There was no question of Booth's feelings for his son. The time they spent together would make the time he spent apart from Bones go a lot faster.

"What's that?" he asked the empty apartment. On the table, in the spot previously occupied by his copy of the x-ray book, was a wrapped gift.

Bones hadn't purchased a gift for him; she'd told him so when he'd delivered hers to the Jeffersonian. Somehow, in the limited time they'd been apart the last several days, she'd managed to not only buy, but wrap a gift for him.

Wondering why she'd waited until she'd left to give it to him, he sat on the couch and pulled it into his lap. He knew what it was almost immediately, ripping the paper off. Confused, he looked at his copy of the book he'd purchased.

Several times the last several days, he'd tried to put in on the bookshelf, only to find Bones had returned it to the table when he wasn't looking. He'd finally given up, unsure why it was so important to her that it be left in plain sight.

Looking for a note or anything that explained what she'd done, Booth realized there were pages added to the back, similar to her gift. Thankfully there were also notes included with the x-rays as he'd have no idea what the pictures would show him without them.

"Shit," he muttered. After a quick perusal, Booth realized all the x-rays were Brennan's. Not sure whether or not he actually wanted to relive what was in the book, he went to his now full refrigerator to grab a bottle of beer.

"Okay, Bones," he said, toasting a woman who wasn't in the room. "If you can do this, so can I."

Taking a deep breath, he looked at the first x-ray. It was of her shoulder and upper arm, that part he could recognize. And realized he didn't need to read any of the notes to know the injury. They'd been chasing Gormogon's apprentice and their vehicle had been blown up. He'd kicked open doors, pulled her from the car. Bones had pulled shrapnel from her arm that had turned out to be a human tooth.

"Sick bastard," Booth muttered, taking a swallow from the bottle. They'd been lucky that day. They'd been lucky a lot of days.

"Okay. Next photo."

The next was also of her arm, the lower portion this time. She'd been stabbed by a scalpel, fighting for her life.

He'd been in time to save her life, but not stop the injury. It ate at him, the times she'd been hurt. When Booth hadn't been there, or hadn't been in time to stop whatever happened. Hell, sometimes he'd been there and she'd still be hurt.

"I held you in my arms and called you baby," he said. He ran a finger down the image of her arm, remembering the love and confusion that were so dominant in his brain. No matter what Sweets said, it hadn't been a coma dream that made him fall in love with Bones. Booth already had been. The dream just showed him what their future could be like, if they were both willing to risk their hearts.

Another x-ray, another arm injury, this one from a gunshot. Again, he'd been right there, and he supposed saved her in the end, as he'd killed the shooter. It was a miracle she still had full use of her hands considering how many times she'd been injured in either her arm or shoulder.

There were no more after that one, and Booth figured those were copies she had in her apartment, making them easier for her to retrieve. After the last, there was a folded piece of paper with his name on it.

 _Booth,_

 _Without you, I wouldn't be here._

 _I am thankful for everything you've brought into my life and everything you will bring._

 _Love, Bones_

BbBbBbBb

When the knock came, Booth was ready.

"Parker," he greeted, opening his arms wide and bracing himself as his son launched himself into Booth's arms. "Merry Christmas!"

"Merry Christmas, Dad. Are there presents?"

"Parker," Rebecca chided gently.

"It's okay. They're under the tree, Parker. Why don't you go sort them while I talk to your mom for a second."

Rebecca's eyes darkened, but she waited until Parker was out of earshot before asking. "Is there a problem with him staying the extra day we talked about?"

"Of course not, Rebecca. I love every second we get together. I just need to ask you a question."

Parker's mother shrugged. "You're his father, Booth. I'm sure whatever it is, is fine."

"Good. I just wanted to know if you had any concerns about me taking him to Arizona."


	11. Day 10

_Sorry...mostly filler chapter. But I need to get them back together so I can finish this up. Only two chapters to go._

"How long is it going to take us to get there?" Parker asked, bouncing in his seat. He flipped the window shade up and down a couple of times, before leaving it up so he had a better view out the window.

Parker had flown many times with his mother, but rarely with his father. Besides, this trip was a surprise and Parker was having a hard time controlling his excitement.

"A few hours, buddy," Booth answered. He stowed their bag in the overhead compartment before sitting down beside his son. "You need to get your seatbelt on."

"I know, Dad. I've flown lots of times before." With ease, he reached around himself to retrieve the two separate ends and join them. "Does Bones know we're coming?"

"No, Parker, remember, I told you we are surprising her for Christmas. Do you have your bag with things to do?"

"I tucked it under the seat, like I'm supposed to."

"That's good. Here, I kept one present for you to open on the flight. I thought it might help you pass the time."

Wiggling in excitement at one more unexpected gift, Parker tore paper off while Booth tried to keep the pieces contained to their area.

Parker's eyes were wide as he looked at his father, before they narrowed in concern. "Mom told me I couldn't have one of these," Parker said. In his hands was one of the newer handheld game consoles.

"I know she did," Booth said. Taking the package from Parker, he started to open it. "But we talked about it before I bought it. She knows you're getting it. And, I made sure to open it and charge it before I wrapped it. So it should be good to go."

Parker reached out slowly, sure that this was some sort of trick. His parents were strict about the amount of time he spent on video games and while his friends were always bragging about what they received, Parker usually couldn't.

"There will be limits on playing time when school starts. But for now, it's vacation. And we have a few hours of flying time ahead of us. So enjoy."

"Thanks, Dad," Parker said. He was still a little in awe that he actually had the system in his hands and fell into a contented silence as he started playing.

Booth wished he could be as relaxed as his son. But what he was doing was impulsive and just a little bit crazy. He was flying across the country, with his son, to see a woman he'd only said goodbye to a day before.

But she'd done the same. And the results had been more than he'd hoped for. But he hadn't made it clear to her exactly how he felt. That he was with her in this, if she was willing to be patient with him this time.

And it was too late to change his mind. The stewardess was closing the door and before Booth knew it, the full plane was in the air, winging its way toward the other side of the country.

BbBbBbBb

"How was your Christmas?" Sarah asked Brennan. The two women, dressed in the standard white laboratory coat, were pulling on plastic gloves.

Brennan's eyes softened for just a moment. "It went significantly better than I expected." She thought about the gift she'd left for Booth on the table and wondered how it had been received. It was the best Brennan could do with the time she had, but hoped she'd accurately portrayed how much Booth meant to her.

The more she thought about the book given to her, the more it helped her realize she was important to the people around her. Not just as a scientist but as a friend. Her circle of people had gotten bigger than she'd ever imagined it could.

After falling silent, she remembered what Booth had taught her over the years and took a breath. "How was your Christmas?"

It sounded awkward when Brennan asked it, but Sarah smiled in appreciation. There were very few in the scientific world who weren't familiar with Dr. Brennan and her reputation for being a difficult woman to work with. Still, Sarah counted herself lucky to be in her presence and to have her assisting in the small museum. "It was very good. I was able to see my daughter and grandchild. Did you get to see family?"

"I did," Brennan said. She didn't elaborate and Sarah let the subject drop. "Since you didn't work, no further progress has been made with this latest skeleton?"

Many would have taken it as an insult, Sarah took it as what the statement was: a fact. "That is correct, Dr. Brennan. I haven't had time to look at the remains since your phone call on Christmas Eve.

"But," she continued, "I did some research. Your comment about this woman walking a significant amount is probably correct."

"Of course, it is," Brennan said. She pointed with a gloved hand toward the upper arms. "It also appears she developed significant muscle mass on her upper arms here."

"The Hohokam," Sarah said, suppressing a chuckle at Dr. Brennan's sure statement about being right, "lived in this area until the 1200s. At that time, much of the area was abandoned due to drought. It's possible this woman walked a significant distance, and carried heavy amounts of water back to the tribe before she left."

Dr. Brennan nodded. "Let's continue to look for evidence of where this woman lived, and how she died."

BbBbBb

"We're going here?" Parker asked, not hiding his disappointment. He'd expected a cool museum like the ones his Dad took him to in Washington, DC, not a building with an old sign that needed a fresh coat of paint.

"Don't judge a book by its cover, Parker," Booth said. "Sometimes you have to get past the rough edges to find the good stuff."

If he was thinking about Bones when he made the statement, his son would never know. Parker had loved Bones from the first moment he'd met her, almost the same way his father had. Unlike his father, Parker had never seen anything but the warm heart Brennan hid so carefully from the rest of the world. Booth had seen her lash out in fear and struggle with emotions that were too much to handle.

"Okay, Dad," Parker said. He didn't want to argue, but he found it hard to believe Bones was working in a place that looked like this.

Ruffling his son's hair, Booth led them into the cool interior of the museum. It was a shock to the system, leaving winter to come to an area where they needed shorts,

"Can I help you?" a young man asked, coming towards them. "We don't get many visitors this time of year."

"I'm looking for-" Booth started to say.

"Bones," Parker shouted beside him. And ducking past the two men, ran forward to wrap himself around Brennan's legs.

Brennan, exiting the research room with Sarah, blinked down at the familiar face. "Parker?" she asked. Recovering, she reached down to give him a hug. "What are you doing here?"

Looking up, her eyes met Booth's and the atmosphere in the room changed. Sarah, making quick assumptions that were very accurate, cleared her throat. "Parker?" she asked, looking toward him and then the handsome man she thought was probably his father. "We have a dinosaur room. And some scientists who are working on cleaning several new specimens. Would you like to help?"

The old museum held new fascination for the boy. "Can I go help, Dad?" he asked, not yet letting go of Brennan's legs.

Booth raised an eyebrow at Brennan. A silent conversation, Booth questioning whether Sarah was safe, and Brennan agreeing, took place in front of an enthralled Sarah. After a moment, he nodded. "Remember your manners, Parker."

"I will, Dad."

Sarah, already half in love with the young man and his father, held out her hand. It was clear she'd have to be satisfied with hanging out with the son. His father's heart was already taken.

Sarah wasn't sure what happened on Christmas Eve, but if this was why Dr. Brennan had hurried home, Sarah certainly didn't blame the woman.

"Where are you from, Parker?" Sarah asked, motioning to her intern, Brian, to follow them out of the room.

Their voices disappearing down the hall, Booth gave his full attention to the only woman left in the room. To him, it wouldn't have mattered if there had been one hundred, she was still the only one he would have seen.

"Booth, what are you doing here?" Brennan asked, repeating the question she'd already asked Parker. She still wasn't sure what had just happened. Her head and her heart were reeling.

Without answering, he tucked his hands into his pockets. She looked at him curiously as he struggled with what to say.

"Hey, Bones."


	12. Day 11

_Probably the chapter everyone has been waiting for..._

Hey, Bones? He'd just flown all the way across the country and that was all he could come up with?

"Is there something wrong at home, Booth?"

"No, Bones," he was quick to reassure her. He ran a hand through his hair. "Maybe we could find someplace to talk?"

Booth, and Parker, were in Arizona. Brennan was sure what it meant, but wanted Booth to explain it to her.

They'd been so careful with each other the last several days. He'd been sick and tired and she knew he felt bad about Hannah leaving, even if he didn't appear as upset as she'd expected.

But for the first time in months, they'd been comfortable in each other's company. They'd ordered take out and watched movies. Brennan talked about the museum in Arizona and her enthusiasm for the project had been clear.

Booth loved every second of it, as had Brennan. But both had been waiting, for something, neither quite sure what it was.

Someone needed to break the last barrier between them. Were they finally going in the same direction?

She waited for him to come toward her and then took his hand. Leading him, she took them into a small anteroom, filled with bird specimens. "Really, Bones?" he asked, drawn to something brightly colored near the door.

"You don't think they are creepy? The way their fake eyes seem to follow you around?" Booth walked slowly back and forth in front of the bird.

Brennan looked around the room. "They don't bother me." But she wouldn't let him get distracted. "So why are you here? This isn't like you, Booth. You couldn't have been worried about me already."

"I always worry when you're out of my sight. Sometimes even when you are right in front of me." He shook his head as if he couldn't believe she didn't know that. "I had all these great speeches in my head. Practiced them on the plane. Now I can't remember any of them."

She tilted her head. "Speeches? About what?"

"About us, Bones. You told me how you feel and I was afraid maybe I wasn't clear enough about what I saw in the future. Our future."

"Our future?" she echoed.

Booth nodded solemnly. "I just flew across the country after Christmas to find you. Airports this time of year are a nightmare, by the way. I let my son go off with a woman I've never met, relying on your word that I can trust her. I'm talking to you in a room filled with stuffed birds."  
Recognizing when her own words were being tossed back at her, Brennan's eyes softened. "So you came all this way to make clear what you saw in our future? Based on evidence I'm assuming that the two of us are together in this future?"

He reached up to run his fingers down the side of her face. "It's not the right time. I don't want you to ever doubt what I feel for you, coming so soon at the end of my other relationship. I only want the chance to prove to you that what I feel for you is true and runs deep. But I want to do this. With you. We're going to do this, and it's forever, Bones. I won't let you walk away from me. Not again. Not ever again.

"And if it takes some time to move on from here, I think that would be okay. In fact, I'm sure that it's okay. Give us some time to find our footing, as partners, and friends, and as a couple. It's a lot of changes for us all at once. I don't want to go too fast, for either of us. But I needed you to know that I'm going in the same direction as you. This time, I'm a little behind. I'll catch up, if you give me a chance."

Pulling back, she stepped away for a minute and Booth let her, knowing it would take her a moment to sort her emotions and her words. It took all his strength not to shake some sort of response from her, but Booth trusted her enough not to do that.

Finally she turned. "I'm not walking away either, Booth. Or running across the country, or the world. I told you I was ready, and I meant it. I told you as much in your kitchen."

He nodded his agreement. "You did, but after you left, I wasn't sure. Wasn't sure I was clear enough." There had been enough misunderstandings between them. If this, if they were going to work, they needed to talk more. Now was as good a time as any to start.

"Then that book was waiting for me, and I needed you to know. To know that I'm with you. That you are just as important to me." Bones was everything. "I see a future with the two of us as the center. Because the center always holds and we will hold. I have no doubt of that. I never have."

"Booth," she said softly. He was a little alarmed to realize her eyes were a bit too bright. "I don't think I can come up with better than that," she admitted, wiping at her eyes. "I've always known that I'm important to you. We need to take it slow, because we can't get this wrong. Losing you would kill me." She shook her head. "I'm not sure when everything I am was tied up with everything that you are but it happened and I can't separate it, separate us, anymore."

Pulling her to him, he held her, until her breath wasn't quite so shaky. "If you didn't practice that, it was still amazing," she said into his chest.

Booth chuckled. "I have always been pretty good at thinking on my feet."

Brennan leaned back enough to see his eyes, without leaving the circle of his arms. "And maybe we keep it just ours, at least for a little while. Give ourselves time, to just be together. Make our own way. But as far as I'm concerned, we are together. In all the ways that count."

"What ours is ours?" he asked.

She smiled and lit up the room. "What's mine is mine. And for a little while, I don't want to share. Let's start on a new path. Together, we'll be okay."

BbBbBb

"So you found the gift?" she asked. They were slowly walking across the main floor, holding hands, on their way to grab Parker.

"I found it." He paused. "Was it as hard for you to go through mine as it was for me to go through yours?" he asked her.

"A little," she admitted. "First, because it was from you and everything between us was wrong. Then, I blamed myself for everything that had happened to everyone. Except Angela, of course. I have had no impact on her ability to draw."

"Maybe all of those things would have happened, Bones. But if you hadn't been here, those people you consider family, might not be here anymore either. Sometimes things work out the way they are supposed to. And I blame myself for most of the injuries that have happened to you, so we are similar that way."

Brennan stopped and looked at him. "None of it was your fault," she reassured him.

"Then how can anything that happened to your friends be yours?" he asked.

She smiled and continued walking, pointing toward a door. "I see the merits of your argument."

"Wait," he said. Pulling against her hand, he stopped her from opening the door.

"Why?" she asked. Turning in time to capture the brush of his lips to hers she managed to school her features into a severe look when they were done. "Booth. We are in a professional institution."

He laughed, reassured that some things about her would never change. "When we open that door, you are Dr. Brennan again and I'm the guy who flew across the country to find you. Sarah will know what's going on, she seems pretty level headed, but Parker just thinks we are on vacation. If you want to keep this secret, he can't find out or the whole world will know."

Given that the argument was logical, Brennan smiled and reached down to squeeze his hand.

Booth sighed, content He'd waited a long time for exactly this.

"Let's go get your son. And figure out what the two of you are going to do while you're here. I'm sure I can come up with some suggestions."

"No museums," Booth said, following her into the room. "Don't suggest any museums. I see enough of those at home."


	13. Day 12

_Thank you everyone for sticking with me all 12 days. It was challenging to write in such a way to make sure I could fit in the entire story and remember to mention the book in each chapter. But I had a lot of fun and hope we do another one soon. hint, hint :)_

She was at his apartment early their first morning back to work. So early, Booth considered it to still be night.

But they'd had no time alone in Arizona with Parker along with them. Not that either would complain. They'd made wonderful memories sure to last them a lifetime.

"Morning, Booth," she said, closing the door behind her.

He barely waited until the latch clicked before he captured her in his arms. He held tight, relishing the feel of her body pressed to his. "God, Bones," he said, when he finally released her, "I've been waiting to do that forever." And other things too. But they weren't there yet.

"At least it wasn't a museum this time," she teased, ducking past him to set her stuff down. Reaching into the bag, she pulled out her gift from Christmas.

"I thought our books should be together," she said. "They seem like a set."

"Like us?" Booth asked.

Brennan's brow furrowed. "Not like us. Books are not living things, Booth."

"You know what, Bones, you're right. We are not books." He laughed when she narrowed her eyes at him, confused as to why he gave in so easily. "So when are we going back to Arizona?" he asked, taking the book from her hands.

"We?" she echoed. "We are not going back to Arizona."

Shifting several things on the bookshelf, he made a place for both copies of the book, sliding them in next to each other. Running his fingers down the spines, he considered where he'd been when he bought them and where he was now. Life could certainly change quickly. "Of course, I'm going back to Arizona with you, Bones. We are partners now, in all the ways that matter. And no partner of mine is traveling across the country by herself. Who knows what dangers you could run into."

"I've traveled alone before, Booth. To places much more dangerous than Arizona," she argued. Her arms were crossed and she tapped her foot as she watched him.

"And been arrested for murder," he pointed out. "I have vacation to use. I'm going, Bones."

A week alone with Booth, time to explore their new relationship, sounded like a great idea to her. But she didn't want to make it that easy for him. Instead, she sighed. "If I can't talk you out of it."

"You know you can't. And I want a better hotel the next time."

She laughed, giving in. Brennan knew he didn't like to let her out of his sight and feared it would be worse now that they were partners outside of work as well. Inside, she gave a shrug. She'd promised herself not to worry about the little things and this seemed like one of them. They'd come up with boundaries that made both of them happy.

"Should we go out for breakfast before work?" she asked.

Booth flashed her a charm smile. "A date with my girl sounds like a good way to start my day."

"I'm not your girl, Booth," she argued. And continued to do so as they headed out of the apartment.

BbBbBbBb

"Sweetie," Angela exclaimed, pulling Brennan into a hug as soon as she saw her best friend. "You came back."

"My family is here. You are my family. I wasn't ready to leave you behind."

The declaration, delivered haltingly was more honest than Angela was used to. "I'm your family?" she asked, swallowing tears.

"Not by blood, of course," Brennan clarified, "but you're my family. You and Cam and Hodgins. I was in Arizona and realized I didn't want to be that far away from any of you."

"And Booth?" Angela couldn't help but ask. "Is Booth family?" Angela had heard the rumors that Hannah had disappeared for parts unknown and Booth had seemed to disappear with her. Despite several inquiries, Angela had yet to find anyone who knew where he'd gone over the long Christmas holiday.

"Booth and I…, are finding our way. We are okay, Angela. Please don't worry about us."

The words were carefully noncommittal and sounded rehearsed to Angela. But she let it go. "Come on, Bren, let's go to your office and you can tell me all about what you did over Christmas."

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"I almost made Angela cry today," Brennan said at lunch. She was confused about what had happened and wanted to talk it out with Booth.

"Really? What happened?"

Her eyes were concerned when they met his and Booth put his food back down to give Brennan his full attention. "I thought I said something nice, but then she almost cried."

"People can cry over nice things, Bones. What did you say?"

"I told her she was family. My family. Her and Cam and Hodgins. And she almost cried."

Booth nodded, not surprised by Angela's reaction. "Those were happy tears. You know that, right?"

"But, why? It didn't seem like a big deal to tell her that. We've been friends a long time."

Emotional statements from Bones were always a big deal, but he left that part out. "Families of blood, you don't get a choice with. Your father is your father and your brother is your brother. You don't get a choice because it's based off blood and genetics."

Brennan nodded. "I understand genetics, Booth."

"So, Angela, she's not blood. She's not family. Not under the traditional definition. You don't have to love her because it's expected. And you don't have to wonder if she tolerates you just because you are family. You picked her and she picked you. That kind of family means more, especially to those who don't have a lot of family to begin with."

"Is it the same for you?"

"Yes, Temperance, it's the same for me. I picked you. You are my family. First as my friend and now as a couple. I think about all the good things that will come along with us being together. And I look forward to making our family, either by blood or by the people we choose, grow so large we can barely remember them all."

"Don't worry, Booth. No matter how large our family grows, we will remember them all. Together. It's a little late, but Merry Christmas, Booth."

 _A/N: Thank you so much for the reviews, follows and favorites. I hope the story lived up to everyone's expectations._

 _I want to wish everyone a wonderful and fabulous 2019._


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